LIEBERMAN FEELING THE COLD IN CONNECTICUT…. As the debate over health care reform in the Senate grew more intense in November and December, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) took on a very high profile. He was involved in high-level talks; he hosted several press briefings; and appeared on several national news programs. Lieberman’s constituents in Connecticut had a great opportunity to see exactly what their senator was up to.
And it appears they weren’t at all impressed.
Sen. Joseph Lieberman’s (I-Conn.) role in upending health care negotiations is costing him dearly at home.
A new poll by Public Policy Polling has the Independent senator losing support in his home state, not just among Democrats but among independents and even Republicans as well.
More than 80 percent (81 percent) of Democrats now say they disapprove of the job Lieberman is doing with only 14 percent approving. Among Republicans, 48 percent disapprove of the senator with just 39 approving. And among independents, 61 percent disapprove of Lieberman’s antics with just 32 percent approving.
“It all adds up to a 25% approval rating with 67% of his constituents giving him bad marks,” the study concludes. “Barack Obama’s approval rating with Connecticut Republicans is higher than Lieberman’s with the state’s Democrats.”
It’s tempting to think the Independent senator would at least have made some gains with conservative voters, who might have been pleased to see Lieberman take the lead in killing the public option. But that’s the most interesting thing about the poll — he managed to lose support with every ideological and partisan group.
By negotiating in bad faith, delaying the process needlessly, ignoring his previous commitments, and removing popular provisions from the legislation, Lieberman managed to annoy everyone at the same time.
The senator won’t be up for re-election until 2012, and he probably can’t drop much lower than a 25% approval rating. But Lieberman had a chance to shine in the spotlight, and prove just what kind of senator he really is. Connecticut didn’t like what it saw.
